44% Question Muslim-American Patriotism

44% Question Muslim-American Patriotism

YouGov - April 25th, 2013

(Week of 4/20/2013) The brothers suspected of setting the bombs at the Boston Marathon last week had lived in the United States for ten years; one was apparently a U.S. citizen. They were also Muslim. And the latest Economist/YouGov Poll suggests that many Americans question the loyalty of Muslim-Americans. 44% think of them as less patriotic than other Americans.

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There is particular concern among older Americans and among Republicans. 60 percent of respondents aged 65 and older, and 70 percent of all Republican respondents, regard Muslim-Americans as less patriotic than others. On the other hand, over half the public believes that Muslims are as patriotic as other citizens.

While some question their loyalty, there is a consensus that Muslim-Americans are more likely than other religious groups to suffer discrimination. Nearly three in four believe they suffer at least a “fair amount” of discrimination. And more than a third say they suffer a “great deal” of discrimination. Only about four in ten think Christians and non-believers face some discrimination. 48% say Jews do.

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There are some major differences among groups, though. Two in three conservatives sampled believe Christian-Americans face a fair amount of discrimination, slightly more than the 57% of conservatives who see discrimination against Muslim-Americans. Only 19% of conservatives believe those who do not believe in God are discriminated against at least a “fair amount”. But 42% of those under 30 think non-believers face discrimination.

Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here

Photo source: Press Association